You Found Me
by ObsessiveCompulsiveValkyrie
Summary: It was meant to be, and fate had a greater influence than Kallen cared for. Collection of five oneshots telling of the bond between Kallen and Gino. Kallen/Gino fluffiness.
1. Cling to Life

This is a collection of five oneshots dedicated to the life and bond of Gino and Kallen. They're designed to be stand-alones, but build off one another, too. Beware of major fluff overloads and mild adult themes. It's just mentions, but I thought I would throw out that warning. Enjoy!

Five Fics in Three Days Challenge #01

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Title: Cling to Life  
>Fandom: Code Geass<br>Characters/Pairings: Gino Weinberg/Kōzuki Kallen  
>Word Count: 2047<br>Prompt: 62-2 – Just Barely Holding On  
>Rating: T<br>Summary: SPOILERS FOR R2! When she comes to, Kallen finds herself stranded with her most hated enemy turned ally. How to move on in a destroyed world that she had helped to create?

Written for the Five Fics in Three Days challenge on the 5_Prompts community on LiveJournal.

Disclaimer: Code Geass is property of Bandai Entertainment and CLAMP.

…

Kōzuki Kallen couldn't for the life of her remember what happened. She remembered a stalemate with Suzaku's Lancelot that should have been the death of both of them. She remembered the functions of the Guren SEITEN shutting down, then unconsciousness taking over as she fell from her perch with no way to hold on.

She should have been dead. She should have fallen into the ocean below the Damocles and sank to the bottom. How was it that she was not only alive, but felt sunlight on her back? Was this a dream? A near-death hallucination caused by the high pressure and the no-doubt crushed cockpit of the Guren?

But… Why was she bobbing? Up and down, up and down… Constantly. As if… As if she was walking. Or being carried. She forced her eyes to open and was met with sunny blond hair to her left, a torn white and green sleeve to her right, and a barren landscape dead ahead. She blinked, trying to take a better hold of her surroundings, and felt her throat run dry in surprise as the face of her carrier turned to look at her.

"G-Gino Weinberg?"

He smiled, bright and cheery, as if nothing had happened. "Good morning, Sleeping Beauty."

Great. Just great. She was dying and dreaming and it had to be of _him_. The filthy Britannian who had fought against the Black Knights and almost killed her before. The pilot of the Tristan, and one of the Knights of the Round.

She let her face drop to his shoulder and groaned, letting out a squawk of surprise as he adjusted his hold on the underside of her thighs, tossing her slightly to renew his grip. She glared pointedly, letting her hatred for all Britannians show in her eyes.

She had trusted Zero to bring about freedom for the Japanese. She had nearly fainted when he told the Black Knights that he wasn't Japanese, but had let herself trust him as he brought them victory after victory. She had even started to fall in love with him, with Zero. He was like a god to her, always so cool-headed and overly dramatic. The anonymity of his identity had only made her feelings deepen. What girl didn't like a mysterious guy with a taste for theatrics? It was exhilarating, watching him work and listening to his voice as he barked order after order.

And then she had followed him to Kamine Island and learned his true identity. He was Lelouch Lamperouge, the silent and cold kid at school. The Student Council vice president with no interest in being popular or liked.

What was she supposed to think? She had her suspicions about him before, but then she got that phone call that deterred her from believing it was him. In the time sense, she had seen several of his plans unfold, several of which had employed a prerecorded message. How had she let herself forget that? It would have been so easy for him to record a message and have that C.C. girl call and play it.

She felt betrayed, to say the least. And then he had shown up again, right back in the Tokyo settlement without a clue. He was different. He didn't seem to remember her, or even his sister Nunally. Instead, he had a brother he doted on named Rolo. She wanted to know what had happened to him. She wanted answers. She wanted to know why he had done those things for Japan.

And then C.C. had shown up on the remaining Black Knight's doorstep, saying she needed their help. None of them were willing, but she said she could bring Zero back. All she needed was an opening to Lelouch.

Kallen had decided to help, to see if she could get her answers. She was disgusted by him, especially when she learned he was actually the prince of Britannia. How could she trust someone who would so willingly fight against his own family? Someone who would so willingly _kill_ his family? He had personally killed Prince Clovis—not that she was ungrateful—but Princess Euphemia, too. He had launched a full-scale assault on Prince Schneizel, one she had fought against him during. He was insane, she realized. He had killed his father—or so he claimed—and had taken his throne. He used the power of his geass to make everyone obey him and she couldn't stand for that.

So she fought against him, using every ounce of her being to take down his knight, Suzaku. The Lancelot and the Knightmares piloted by C.C. and himself were his only true weapons. The rest was up to strategy. Schneizel's side had herself, General Tohdoh, General Xingke, and the Knights of the Round, save Suzaku and that Vampire of Britannia.

They should have won. Or maybe they did. She didn't know. All she remembered was falling and then now. Now where she was carried on the back of one Knight of Three, Gino Weinberg. She knew Lelouch—Zero—was her enemy now, but what could she do?

"Sir Weinberg?"

He glanced back slightly, and only now did she realize the small limp in his step. She felt her throat tighten as a wave of guilt splashed over her. He smiled brightly, but she could tell it was forced. "Yes, Ms. Kōzuki?"

She swallowed, fighting back the urge to scream at him for his stupidity; for carrying her like that when he was injured himself. "You can set me down. I'm okay."

He shrugged slightly, jostling her a little, and said, "I can keep going. You were pretty worse for wear, back there."

"Gino, set me down," she said, clenching her teeth to get her point across. Finally, he stopped and lowered to a slight crouch, letting her climb off his back. She stood up, wobbling slightly as she tried to catch her balance, and gripped his shoulder for support. Once she was steady, she looked at him and, with her hands on her hips, demanded, "How's your ankle?"

He straightened up and rubbed the back of his head abashedly, smiling honestly. "You saw that, eh? I'm fine." At the look on her face, he added, "Really!"

She kept her glare in place, not letting her guard down for one second, and started tapping her foot impatiently. He sighed and crossed his arms, still smiling, and said, "It's just a minor sprain, Ms. Crimson Ace. But I'm flattered you care about me," he added with a flirtatious wink.

Rolling her eyes, she shoved past him and glanced around her surroundings, the realization hitting her like a hadron cannon. This was no dream. Whatever had happened after that battle, she was stuck alone in the middle of nowhere with Gino Weinberg. Shaking her head, she ignored his comment and, instead, asked, "What happened?"

He turned away, the smile instantly faded, and stared up at the sun. "After the battle, you mean?"

She nodded. That should have been obvious.

"You started to fall. Tristan was damaged, but still able to fly. You were—are—one of our best, so I flew in to catch you from falling into the ocean. You couldn't die. You weren't responding to communications, so I grabbed a hold of the Guren and carried you to the nearest land. I was going to rejoin the fight, but, well, I didn't really see a point. A transmission came over the widespread channel from Prince Schneizel himself. He told everyone to stop fighting, and that he had surrendered to Lelouch. It didn't feel right. If I know the prince, he wouldn't surrender until he was dead."

"So…" Kallen kicked a stone absentmindedly. It must have been the geass. "The battle's over? We lost? Lelouch is ruler of the world now, isn't he?"

Gino shook his head. "He hasn't made a move on the UFN yet. It's just Britannia he's after, it seems."

A burning dryness scorched her insides as she fell to her knees. How could it turn out like this? Zero was supposed to save the world, not destroy it. Was this his plan all along? Was he planning to build up an army like this, make people believe he was their savior, and then turn around and become a tyrant? Was that his plan? To rule the world?

She didn't want to believe it, but it was the only obvious truth. Not that Zero—no, Lelouch—ever did anything obvious. Every battle they had won was due to unpredictability. He had pulled tactics so unbelievable that she didn't know to this date how they had worked. She supposed it would be pretty easy for a mind so great to be lost to madness. He was a masterful strategist, killing thousands with each battle that was won.

It couldn't be easy to bear that burden. She assumed he had gone mad, anyway. It wasn't possible that the Zero she had fallen in love with was always this maniacal, was it?

Sighing once, she looked back to Gino and drew in a breath, hugging her own torso. "Thank you, Sir Weinberg, for saving me."

He waved his hand dismissively. "Please, call me Gino. 'Sir Weinberg' sounds so… formal."

She nodded once and slowly pulled herself to her feet. "Fine. It's a mouthful, too. On that note, you can call me Kallen."

He gave a bow, taking her hand and placing a kiss on the back. "It would be an honor, milady."

She rolled her eyes and wrenched her hand back. "Whatever. So, where are we?"

He shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. I landed here and managed to pull the Guren's hatch open to get you out. Tristan was almost out of power, so I left him behind and took off on foot. I imagine it would be easier for them to find us in the Knightmares, anyway."

She nodded once. "How long was I out?"

Giving a casual shrug, he moved to walk behind her and said, "Almost two days. I left our phones and anything besides food and the clothes on our backs to try to keep them from tracking us."

"Good thinking. So, that's it? We're renegades, left to roam the world in hiding?"

His arms snaked around her waist from behind, eliciting a squeal of surprise from her. "G-Gino! What are you doing?"

His chin bent down and came over her shoulder, holding her snug against him and, when he spoke, he spoke with a soft voice that carried his seriousness. "Thank God you survived, Kallen. I don't… I don't know what I…"

She froze in his hold, her voice barely able to whisper, "What…?"

"I'm sorry, Kallen. I just… I don't know what I'd do if I was alone."

She shifted, pulling out of his hold and turning to face him. "Gino, could you do me a favor?"

He blinked once, then nodded. "Of course."

"Could you…" She paused, not entirely sure how to word her request, and to a Britannian, no less. Swallowing, she knew it was something she needed and just spit it out. "Could you help me know that I'm alive?"

Nodding, he didn't waste a moment and leaned closer, pressing his lips to hers. She was much shorter than he was, forcing her to bounce up to her tiptoes and wrap her arms around his shoulders. It was her first kiss, and she had asked for it. She wouldn't tell him it was her first, but he didn't seem to need to know. His arms circled around her waist and pulled her closer, his chin adjusting slightly to kiss her better.

Slowly, he pulled back. His eyes held a look of pure fondness that made her stomach tumble. She wouldn't deny that he was a handsome man, but all she needed was to know she was alive. She didn't want to even try a relationship without knowing what kind of world they were walking into. She wouldn't be so vain as to forget he saved her, but she couldn't give him more than gratitude. At least, not yet. Her heart couldn't handle the idea of loving a Britannian, no so soon after Lelouch had ripped her to shreds.

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><p>Please review!<p>

-Valk


	2. Soulless

Five Fics in Three Days Challenge #02

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Title: Soulless  
>Fandom: Code Geass<br>Characters/Pairings: Gino Weinberg/Kōzuki Kallen  
>Word Count: 1505<br>Prompt: 62-03 – Tearing it all to Pieces  
>Rating: Strong T<br>Summary: SPOILERS FOR R2! An empty heart filled with betrayal can be the worst ailment. The cure is hard to find, and even more difficult to harness.

Written for the Five Fics in Three Days challenge on the 5_Prompts community on LiveJournal.

Disclaimer: Code Geass is property of Bandai Entertainment and CLAMP.

…

It was a night like almost every other night. Ever since Kallen had found herself stranded with Gino after that final battle, the two of them had taken to a very relaxed relationship. They had taken pseudonyms for their names, pretending to be other people for the sake of survival. They had stuck together, simply to keep a buddy system. Danger was everywhere. Both of them were ace pilots and had fought against the Demon Emperor. Execution was just waiting with baited breath for them.

They found an apartment, renting it with money she made working in a sports shop and he cooked in a restaurant. It wasn't the most luxurious work, but it earned them enough to live on. Kallen, under her fake name of Karen Michaels, lived with her 'boyfriend,' Lawrence 'Lance' Nils. According to their fake IDs, they were both nineteen.

Kallen hated it.

She hated living a lie. It hurt enough when she went to Ashford and pretended to be a sickly girl unable to even swim on her own. Even then, she had used her birth name. But here, in this southern coastal Britannian town, she couldn't. She was able to get by without being recognized, but it was much harder for Gino. He was famous among Britannians, especially to the single female crowd. He had been able to get along by faking a European accent and saying he was flattered they thought he looked like the Knight of Three.

Luckily, Britannian commonfolk weren't exactly the smartest people she'd ever met.

Sometimes, the stress would become too much and she needed to vent. She'd purchased a punching bag from the store she worked at and beat it until her knuckles bled, but, even then, it hurt. It hurt in ways she couldn't imagine were possible.

What had happened to everyone? Ohgi and Tamaki? Generals Tohdoh and Xingke? The rest of the Holy Swords and the Black Knights? Were they all dead? Injured? Captured? In hiding like she was? It killed her to know nothing. She watched the news constantly and, when one of her new friends questioned her fascination with it, she told them he brother had been killed in the battle, and several of their mutual friends were still M.I.A. It was one truth she had told, though she told it in a manner that made Naoto out to be Britannian.

It made her sick and, sometimes, when she came home, she lost control and cried until her eyes were dry. Gino would sit in silence, sometimes making dinner, sometimes lamenting with her, and sometimes he would hold her. She hated it, how secure she felt when he held her. She felt her problems melt away and slink into a state of emptiness when he held her. One time, she had been particularly depressed, and had pulled him to her and kissed him. They had both been feeling hurt and empty, wondering what became of their friends. In times like that, they both needed to know they weren't alone and had wound up on the couch in a rather compromising position.

She didn't care. She didn't need him to love her. Her chances were pretty slim of ever finding a man who could love the real her, anyway. So she would pull him close, kiss him hard, and demand that he take her to his room. He obliged, whether from a similar loneliness or because he wanted to have sex with her, she didn't know.

She couldn't bring herself to care, either.

When morning came, she had climbed out of bed, gotten into the shower, and left for work as usual. He hadn't said anything, either, and it wasn't until a few nights later that they had done it again.

Now, Kallen was lying awake in the large bed they had since purchased to share. They were supposed to be boyfriend and girlfriend to the outside world, after all. She had her back to him, lying on her side and staring blankly at the green digital numbers of her alarm clock. His form shifted behind her, his arm encircling her waist as his lips hovered over her ear. His voice breathed a whisper, saying, "Can't sleep?"

She stiffened slightly, unsure of her next move. They had sex, but that was it. They didn't do the romantic cuddling and they didn't hold each other afterwards. It was an empty act, something to relieve the stress of their situation and bring them back to earth. Slowly, she glanced sideways and hissed, "What are you doing, Gino?"

He shifted, letting her go, and she was about to settle in to go back to sleep when she felt the mattress move behind her. The springs bounced up at once, telling her he'd gotten up and she waited a minute as she listed to the sounds of him putting a pair of pants on. Slowly, she turned, holding the blankets to her chest to hide herself and cocked her head curiously. "Gino?"

He ran a hand through his tousled blond hair and sighed, pacing slightly before stopping and looking out the window. The sound of the ocean came in through the open window with a warm breeze as its companion, making the room hotter than it should have been. With one hand on his narrow hip and the other still buried in his hair, he muttered, "I can't do this anymore."

She blinked, running the thought through her mind. "Do what? Stay in hiding? You want to go out there and surrender? You know that'll only get you killed!"

"No," he said, finally turning to face her, blue eyes twinkling in the moonlight. "What we're doing. This… This empty relationship. I can't do this. All my life, I imagined meeting the right girl, settling down, and having a strong, reliable, monogamous relationship. I imagined getting married and having a bond full of love. Not… Not this emptiness."

She looked down at her lap contemplating his words. After a long moment of silence, she said, "So… What you're saying is… There's no room for me in your life?"

He walked closer, dropping his hands onto the bed to look at her at eye level and said, "No, that's not it. I just don't have room for this soulless fulfillment. I want, no, _need_ something more. But, Kallen, I… I still want it to be with you." Pausing, he brought his hand back to his face and ran it down, muttering, "Does this make any sense?"

She blinked, slowly shaking her head. "Not really, Gino."

"Okay," He shifted, dropping down to sit on the bed so he was facing her. "I'm just going to spit it out. I love you, Kōzuki Kallen."

Her eyes went wide and she had to remind herself to breathe. "You… What?"

"I love you," he repeated. "I know, I'm tearing apart what we have and if you don't feel the same, then we probably won't ever be able to have the same bond, but I want this, Kallen. I want for us to be closer. I want to be able to love you, not just make love."

She turned slightly, averting her gaze. Leave it to a Britannian to mess everything up. But… was it really that bad? She relied on Gino more than she would like, but it could work. She wanted it to work. She hadn't realized it until that moment, but she was happy to have him care about her like that. To know he didn't just think of her as a source for sex made her happier than she should have thought was acceptable.

"K-Kallen… I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"

She glanced back up; just realizing her vision of him was blurry. She was… crying? She shook her head, scooting closer to him while staying under the covers. Without her consent, her hand rose and cupped his cheek softly. Quietly, she whispered, "I'm not crying because I'm sad, Gino."

A slow but genuine smile came to his lips as he pulled her closer, leaning in and kissing her. It was a gentle and chaste kiss, but that one kiss had held so much more intimacy than any of the kisses they'd shared before. Somehow, knowing he loved her made her heart feel so much more full. It made the brush of his hair on her cheek that much more romantic. It made the love they made that night so much better than any other night.

It was an earth-shattering moment for her, one that would resound in her heart for the rest of her life.

Before that week had ended, the Black Knights had found them and made contact. They went home, but kept their bond. Tristan and the Guren had been recovered by survivors and they had searched the area for the missing pilots.

One week later, Emperor Lelouch contacted the UFN to discuss Britania's admission. She couldn't help but feel dread deep inside her at the upcoming meeting, but Gino had stood by her the whole time. She wasn't alone. She had someone who loved her. She would be okay.

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><p>Please review!<p>

-Valk


	3. White Day

Five Fics in Three Days Challenge #03

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Title: White Day  
>Fandom: Code Geass<br>Characters/Pairings: Gino Weinberg/Kōzuki Kallen  
>Word Count: 3,616<br>Prompt: 17-2 – Living With Me Isn't Easy  
>Rating: T<br>Summary: SPOILERS FOR R2! Kallen's sure their relationship is doomed to failure, but she's in for a surprise.

Written for the Five Fics in Three Days challenge on the 5_Prompts community on LiveJournal.

Disclaimer: Code Geass is property of Bandai Entertainment and CLAMP.

…

Kallen ran her hands through her hair, summoning every ounce of her being to avoid screaming. She loved Gino, but sometimes he drove her absolutely insane. She lived with him in his family estate in the Britannian Dukedom of Virginia. She missed Japan and she missed her friends back home, but her job had required for her to move.

She had been the Crimson Ace of the Zero Squad, but after the Black Knights were officially introduced with four generals of differing regions, she transferred position. General Tohdoh stayed in Japan, taking command of military ports on the islands and the territories in the southern section of the former Chinese Federation. General Xingke lived in Beijing, China, at the side of Empress Tianzi, taking command of the part of the former Britannian Empire located north of Tohdoh's territory. Zero took command of the mainland of the E.U. and the land that used to be called Africa.

The Britannian mainland went under the control of the Knight of One. Only two of the Knights of the Round had survived the war, and Anya had elected to step down. Because of her willing abdication to the title of Knight of One, it automatically went to Gino.

As soon as Kallen learned Suzaku was the new Zero, she requested a transfer to move to the Knights of the Round. She'd missed her friends in Squad Zero, but remaining there would have required her to not only work under Suzaku—her rival during the war—but also live on a completely different land mass from Gino. Once the transfer went through, she was granted the title of Knight of Five.

It was a drastic change of scenery, but with all of the world's military under one banner and regimen, it had only slightly differing responsibilities. She wore a different uniform—the same as Gino, but with a red cape—and lived in a different territory, but was otherwise unaffected. Gino had learned of his father's death in the war and the pair had since moved into his manor by birthright. It was a huge mansion, almost bigger than the main building of Ashford Academy, and Kallen found herself lost more times than she could count at first.

It took some getting used to, especially when compared to her mother's small apartment back in Japan. Ohgi and Tamaki had stayed there, too, so she was relatively alone in Main Britannia. To prevent issues with senatorial votes and the like, Britannia's territories had been split to the Main portion where the capital, Pendragon, once stood, South Britannia, which was a part of the same landmass as Main Britannia, but connected only by a small bridge of land. East Britannia was essentially the part that went to Zero's jurisdiction, and West Britannia was Russia.

Currently, Kallen was trying her best to avoid screaming at Gino. Granted, all he had done was ask her—politely—to clean up her dirty clothes. She wouldn't have minded so much if it was just one time, but it had almost become a routine for him to remind her. Every day, just as she walked in the door. She wasn't a fan of servants, especially since most had been Japanese or other 'numbers,' so she tended to do her own housework. However, in a house as big as the one they lived in, they did need a few 'employees,' as she preferred to call them, to help maintain the place.

But the underlying fact remained—she was a total slob. That wasn't to say she didn't know how to clean, she just usually cleaned up after herself sometime after the mess had been made. For instance, she would throw her used clothes on the floor in the morning, and then pick them up before bed. It was how she had always been and she wasn't about to change because it bothered him.

Yes, he'd grown up as a noble where everything in the house was spick and span, but she hadn't. Her mother—before she recognized her as such—had worked as a maid in her father's house, but Kallen hadn't let her touch her room or her things. She took care of herself and did her own cleaning. So it wasn't that she was _messy_, per se. She just did her cleaning in her own time.

Unfortunately, Gino didn't agree with her on that.

They were two very different people and several matters sparked an argument between them. She begrudgingly attended all of the holiday parties and events celebrated by Britannians, on the condition that they celebrated Japanese holidays at home. For the most part, that arrangement worked out. It was only on days that she felt particularly moody or when work got in the way that an argument occurred.

To the rest of the Knights of the Round, their relationship was baffling. None of them could understand how two people who worked together in the exact same squadron were so unrelenting on work matters. If one had a meeting and had to cancel plans, the other would usually get angry. Usually, it was Gino who pulled out on plans and Kallen getting angry. With him being the Knight of One, it couldn't be helped. She liked to show her annoyance to the world regardless, and usually it would come out in the form of a fight.

It was the little things that ate away the solid ground between them. As sure as Kallen was that she loved Gino and he loved her, she had moments when she doubted their relationship could work. She had days when she was sure one of them would lose it and call off the whole thing. Tell the other to go to hell and walk away. She was sure that was how this would end. What hope was there for a pair who couldn't agree on anything?

They were bound to separate broken-hearted. Deep inside, she knew it. A part of her was just waiting for the moment when it would all fall apart.

What really made her mad was the fact that today was White Day and he yet to even acknowledge it. He hadn't grown up celebrating the holiday, but if he was going to make her dress up in some ridiculous costume for Halloween, then the least he could do is get her some damn chocolate on White Day. Hell, she didn't even care how much he spent. She just wanted him to acknowledge her culture.

And now they had walked in the door, only for him to criticize her cleaning patterns. To put it mildly, she was furious. She stopped where she was, closed her eyes, and tried counting in her head. While that was failing to work, his arms slipped around her waist and, by military reflex alone, she almost punched him in the face.

He didn't let go, but managed to slip out of the way of her fist, murmuring, "Settle down, Kallen! If you want, I can ask Lindslie to pick it up."

She crossed her arms as best she could from her position face-to-face with him. "Maybe I don't want it picked up."

Instead of turning away, he bent down and kissed her. "I have to admit, the mess will really kill the romantic atmosphere I had planned for the night."

She paused. Did he mean…?

He leaned in, kissing her again, but took his time and used his tongue. "Happy White Day, Kallen. You didn't think I forgot, did you? Now go get changed. Those reservations for dinner won't fill themselves."

…

She sighed to herself, doing her best to stay mad at Gino. He could have said something earlier, instead of springing on her at the last minute. She sat in the backseat of the car with her arms crossed, pouting. She glanced down over her outfit, cursing her inner want to be sexy for the man. Her short black skirt was barely longer than her uniform at Ashford, which she wore with thigh-high stockings. For a top, she'd chosen a red sleeveless blouse made of silky satin with matching fingerless gloves.

Silently, she cursed. _Why_ did she feel the need to dress up for him? It made no sense whatsoever. The worst part was that he knew she dressed that way for him, if the casual way his arm was draped over her shoulder was any indication.

Finally, the car pulled to a stop and he held one finger up in a 'hold on a second' way before climbing out of the car. Reluctantly, she waited a minute until the door next to her opened and he held his hand out to help her out. She hated being treated differently for being a woman, but it was somehow adorable when it was Gino behaving that way.

Giving a roll of her eyes for his benefit, she took his hand and climbed out of the car. She glanced at him with a raised eyebrow, wondering where they were. She didn't recognize this restaurant, and was fairly sure they had never eaten out here before.

He shifted his hold on her hand to loop his arm around hers and escort her to the building. It was an ordinary enough place, fancy on the outside without many windows. Her eye caught the sign by the door and she froze, reading 'Kinzentaru, est. 2020.'

A… Japanese restaurant?

She turned slightly to look at him, eyes wide in shock. He flashed that charming smile of his and rubbed the back of his neck. "I was cooking with Jorge a few weeks ago, and he mentioned he heard of this place. It's still new, but I thought it'd be a great surprise. Am I right, or am I right?"

She stayed silent, trying her hardest to avoid crying. He had this planned for weeks? She longed for some Japanese cuisine, but she couldn't cook to save her life. Her mother and Ohgi had sent recipes her way, but there were troubles with translation and it just didn't taste right. But now… Gino had found a Japanese restaurant within driving distance of their home in Main Britannia?

It was probably the sweetest gesture he'd ever made towards her.

At least, in her opinion.

She jumped out of her thoughts when his hand touched her lower back gently, his voice asking, "Are you all right, Kallen? Is this a bad idea?"

She shook her head quickly. "No, that's not it. This is… This is amazing." She stopped in her tracks, staring at the text written below the name on the door, styled in kanji. "This…" She couldn't hold back a squeal as she threw her arms around him, shouting, "This is an okonomiyaki bar!"

He kept that same smile and said, "Of course! I have no idea what that means, but only the best for you. That… That is a good thing, right?"

She nodded, giving up on holding her tears back and let herself cry on his shoulder. It had been too long since she'd last eaten okonomiyaki and she felt her stomach grumble in agreement. "Come on!" She pulled out of his embrace and grabbed his hand, tugging him towards the door. "Let's go eat!"

He laughed as she dragged him inside, but took a minute to ask, "What exactly is this okabodaki?"

She rolled her eyes. "Okonomiyaki. It's hard to describe in English. It's like a patty made with cabbage with different toppings. You should be able to get just about anything."

He nodded. "Let's do this. I'm open to trying new things."

They walked inside and were brought almost immediately to their table. Kallen smiled in delight as she realized their cook was Japanese. Even better. The chef offered recommendations, such as pork, shrimp, or octopus and she turned to look at Gino. He shrugged casually and said, "You order. I'll try what you get."

The cook turned to face her and smiled as she rattled off exact ingredients in fluent Japanese. She knew she didn't always look the most Japanese, with having a Britannian father, but she loved her homeland. She loved the way the language rolled off her tongue, and was absolutely ecstatic that she had an opportunity to use it.

She had started to teach Gino, but it was a difficult task. He was already fluent in English, the national language of Britannia, as well as three other languages. It wasn't that he didn't want to learn. It was just that Japanese was so different from any other language he knew. In turn, he had offered bits of the Euro languages, particularly Russian. It seemed to be his favorite, and he liked blurting out things she couldn't understand.

The five languages between the two of them made diplomatic discussions with the UFN assembly much easier. But, for now, she loved the look on his face as he watched her order. The cook bowed and left to get the ingredients and she leaned back slightly on her stool, smiling. "Thank you, Gino. This means a lot to me."

He grinned brightly. "I thought it might."

She reached out slightly, extending her hand to play her fingers on his. Just this one token of good faith was enough to repay her for her Valentine's gift. She had talked to Milly and Viletta, for lack of anyone else, for ideas on what to get him on Valentine's Day. The two of them were familiar with the Britannian form of celebration, during which the holiday was a mutually romantic event.

However, in Japan, Valentine's Day was when girls presented gifts—usually chocolate—to boys they liked. One month later, on White Day, boys would return the gift. By following the rule 'triple the return,' guys should get girls gifts worth at least three times what she spent on him. Kallen didn't care about price. Not with Gino. She wanted sincerity, and she got one of the most precious gifts she could have asked for.

"Aishiteru."

She turned to him, eyes wide in surprise. "G-Gino…"

He smiled. "I've been practicing. Did I say it right?"

Nodding slowly, she absently mumbled, "Your accent is off, but the pronunciation was right."

…

Kallen snatched the last bite of okonomiyaki from the plate and smiled as she expertly slipped it between her teeth with chopsticks. It was during times like this that she felt like the dominant one in their relationship. With him being her military superior and with living in his homeland, she didn't feel like the top dog often. The most common exception was when she was piloting her Guren, but after its destruction in the war, it was completely remodeled and made into her unique Knightmare for her role as a Knight of the Round.

It was a wonderful night, she decided. Gino was one part near-sighted, and one part hopeless romantic. It was usually pretty iffy on which side won out, but she was glad it was the romantic side tonight. When all was said and done, she knew she couldn't stay mad at him. As they stood to leave, she turned to the cook and gave a slight bow, followed by the words, "Arigtou gozaimasu."

The man bowed in return, but didn't speak. Instead, he led the two of them to the front where they were to pay. Gino handled the check as she stood behind him, smiling at the Japanese decoration. Somewhere behind her, she heard the cook whisper to Gino, saying, "Today is a special day in Japan, you know, Sir."

He smiled brightly. "I know. White Day, right?"

The man nodded while ringing up the transaction. "Treat her well, Sir."

"I intend to. Arigatou."

Kallen pretended to not hear their conversation, but burst out laughing when Gino bowed. It wasn't that he was doing it out of context, but it was just hilarious to see a Britannian trying to bow to a Japanese and mean respect with the action. It looked really awkward for Gino to do that and she honestly couldn't say why.

A few minutes later, they were back in the car, on their way back to their house. Kallen sat snuggled against Gino's side, content for one small moment in their lives. She had her doubts so often, that something would go wrong and they would break up. Something told her she wouldn't be able to handle that when it happened. She loved Gino. She knew that, but she also knew they couldn't make it like this forever.

It hurt to think about it, but she knew it would happen. It was inevitable. Two people like themselves just weren't compatible. It wasn't fair to either of them, to stay like this. The longer they tortured themselves, the harder it would be to leave when that day came. She opened her mouth to say something, to bring up her fears of the future, but didn't get a word out before he leaned over her and kissed her. He kept it brief, then whispered against her lips, "Will you marry me?"

She froze under him. Had she heard him right? Leaning back slightly, she looked at him in complete shock. "W-what…?"

He smiled, reaching up to cup her cheek in his hand. "I love you, Kallen. I can't imagine being with anyone else."

She blinked and shook her head to regain her senses, stammering, "But… But we fight like rabid dogs! How can we possibly have a future ahead of us?"

He shrugged lightly. "We fight, yeah, but I'm pretty sure that we can beat that. If we try, we can beat anything." Stealing a quick kiss, he added, "You're everything to me, Kallen."

She stayed stock-still, not daring to believe he was really asking her _that_ question. She was sure their relationship would end in tears. After all, what hope was there for two former enemies who happened to fall in love? It was so wrong. Surely he had seen the incoming disaster, too.

"Kallen, if you don't want to marry me, just say so. It would be a lot simpler than just stalling."

Her heart stopped beating and she turned slowly to face him head-on. The torn expression on his face sent a pang through her chest that made her want to grab the steering wheel of the car and hurl the whole thing off the road. She was doing it. She was breaking him without actively trying. Tears pricked at the backs of her eyes and she swallowed, trying to clear her throat of whatever was choking her. "Gino, that's not… I mean…" The words she wanted to say weren't coming, so she finally managed to stammer, "I love you, Gino."

"Then why?" he asked, voice sounding hollow and broken.

She struggled to keep from crying. That would only make this worse. "I… I don't know what to say, Gino. I mean, how can we make this work?"

He pulled back and sat next to her, staring straight ahead while folding his hands on his lap. "How have we made this work for the last two years?"

Did he really think that what they had was 'working'? Did he call arguing incessantly 'working'? Did he think never being home and hardly ever making it to a date was 'working'?

He turned back to her, intense emotion that she couldn't place burning in his eyes. "Kallen, if you don't love me, then that's that. But if you do, and if you're just saying this because you're afraid, then shut up and listen."

She bit her tongue. Gino was usually the epitome of gentlemanly speech when he was talking to her. The fact that he'd so bluntly tell her to shut up meant he was serious. She really couldn't blame him, given the circumstances.

"I love you. We're both high-ranking military officers and we fought on opposite sides during the war. But does that mean that we should constantly avoid commitment because we have a few minor disputes? Love isn't something you mess with, Kallen. You take it when it comes your way because you never know what tomorrow has in store for you. Fighting happens. No two people can live together and never argue. We should be thankful that what we fight about isn't anything life-shattering."

She sat still, letting every one of his words pierce into her. Slowly, she nodded. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I am afraid. Maybe I'm scared of what happens next."

"That's just it, Kallen," he said, taking her hands in his. "Nothing will change. We'll still live together, work together, and sleep together. The only thing that would change is your name, if you wanted it to."

She paused, considering what he was saying. It was all true, and yet she was still scared. But why? What was she afraid of? What was it that made the idea of getting married so terrifying? She loved Gino, and she had been certain that they wouldn't be able to make it forever. But he was. He wanted them to work. She owed it to him to try her part, didn't she?

Slowly, she nodded. She wouldn't be sappy or overdramatic, but she wanted to try. She wanted so badly for their relationship to work. She wanted to wake up next to him every day for the rest of their lives. She wanted…

She wanted to marry him.

Willing her voice to work, she started out slow as she said, "Gino, you're right. You're absolutely right. But I…" She shook her head one more time, shaking away whatever demon was trying to deter her. "I love you. And… to answer your question… Yes, I'll marry you."

* * *

><p>So, what'd you think? Please review!<p>

-Valk


	4. Nothing More

Five Fics in Three Days Challenge #04

…

Title: Nothing More  
>Fandom: Code Geass<br>Characters/Pairings: Gino Weinberg/Kōzuki Kallen, Lelouch vi Britannia  
>Word Count: 1432<br>Prompt: 61-2 – Waking From Tormented Sleep  
>Rating: T<br>Summary: SPOILERS FOR R2! Nightmares of the past plague her mind, but there will always be one person who could make her feel better.

Written for the Five Fics in Three Days challenge on the 5_Prompts community on LiveJournal.

Disclaimer: Code Geass is property of Bandai Entertainment and CLAMP.

…

She slammed the handgrip forward, thrusting the Guren SEITEN's Radiant Wave Surger outwards and putting its shield effect into place. A blast from the Lancelot's VERIS met with her shield, effectively blocking the shot and she lowered the guard, dashing forward and raising her gauntlet for an attack.

Suddenly, the Lancelot vanished from her sights like the Vincent in Babil Tower. When she moved to turn around, she was no longer inside the Guren, but standing on her feet in the Ikaruga. She was standing in Zero's room, facing his closet. Confused, she turned slowly to find Zero standing there, his helmet hiding his face and his arms crossed under his cape. She smiled, feeling joy at seeing Zero alive and well.

She took a slow step forward, reaching a hand out towards him openly. "Zero, what's our next move?"

He said nothing, didn't even move. She blinked once looked around when he was no longer there. Turning on her heel, she released a breath she didn't realize she was holding when she spotted him seated inside his chair at his station. He swiveled slowly and reached up to remove his helmet. She gasped in surprise when he removed it, revealing the bloodied face of Naoto, her brother. He reached out slowly, gasping for breath, and managed, "Help me… Kallen…"

"Sad sight, isn't it?"

She turned again, this time face-to-face with Lelouch, dressed in his Ashford uniform and smiling lightly. He took a single step closer to her and shook his head, that same, wistfully amused smile on his lips. "Do you see, Kallen? See what happens when you try to change the world?"

She took an involuntary step backwards, then turned back to see Naoto vanished from the chair. "Zer- No. Lelouch. What are you talking about?"

He swept his left hand out dramatically, closing his eyes as if in thought. They snapped open, revealing both to be glowing a pink color with the geass sigil settled in the center. She had seen his eyes like that once before, and it had terrified her. "People die, Kallen. You lose the ones you love. Your brother… Naoto, was it? He died because you were weak."

She shook her head, now completely terrified, and kept walking back until she bumped into a table, turning, she found herself looking at the work table in the Ashford student council room. Turning back to face Lelouch, she realized they were suddenly in that room, every wall covered in logbooks and trophies, things she had never really looked at, but had always seemed to know were there. How had they gotten there? She couldn't remember. Glancing down, she realized she was dressed in the white confiscation outfit C.C. used to wear, all the buckles in place, holding her arms back in a type of straight jacket and her mouth gagged. What was happening? Why couldn't she remember how she got there?

Lelouch laughed across from her, a maniacal, insane laugh, and held out his hand, which now held his favorite Britannia pistol. "Such a sad end, Kōzuki Kallen. You're too weak to serve a purpose now. Don't you all see? She's a pathetic little weakling!"

She turned as laughter sounded to see familiar faces on all sides. Students from the school including Milly, Rivalz, Nina, Shirley, Suzaku, and Nunally. They stood around her, laughing as Lelouch pointed the gun towards her. Was this how she would die? Killed by the man she once loved?

His finger squeezed in on the trigger, aiming right for her forehead. This was it. This was the end. The trigger pulled back all the way and, suddenly, a loud 'bang' sounded through her ears.

She jumped up to a sitting position, clutching the bedspread to her chest. She gasped, drawing in breath after breath but unable to breathe. Her heart pounded in her ears, unwilling to slow as she recalled her dream.

"Hey, are you okay?"

She turned slowly, eyes wide, and managed to relax slightly as she took in the face of Gino. He sat beside her, brushing a hand over his eyes to wipe the sleep out of them. Without saying a word, she pounced from her sitting position and clambered to his lap, one hand gripped firmly in his shirt and the other clutching at her stomach.

It wasn't the first nightmare she'd had of Lelouch. It probably wouldn't be the last, either. She was tormented by his betrayal and scarred further by his assassination at the hands of the new Zero. It had shaken her to see how twisted a person could truly become. The bored look he wore when he'd paraded down the street of the new Britannian capital with Schneizel crucified to the front of his float and Nunally chained to the floor in front of him only fueled her anger and almost made her pity him.

Gino's arms wrapped around her, and though she knew he was equally plagued by nightmares of the war and rebellion, she needed his comfort tonight. She wasn't ashamed to cry in front of him and leaned against him, letting her tears unfurl against his shoulder. "Lelouch," she croaked. She only needed to say his name for him to understand. The man was only eighteen when he'd essentially taken over the world and bent the population to his will. It was only natural for people to be terrified of him, even if he was dead.

It was different for Kallen, though. She had played a substantial role in helping his climb to power. He had often told her she was his trump card, his most valuable pilot. She had worked for him and listened to his orders, giving her all to help him. It was because of her that he had gotten so far and had been able to live to fight so many battles.

She would never be able to get past the guilt for all she'd done. She was still with the Black Knights, serving as the new Knight of Five. Though the general outranking her had changed from Lelouch to Suzaku and now to the Knight of One, she still served the Black Knights faithfully. With Britannia now an official part of the UFN, four generals of the Black Knights were elected to have complete command of the world's military force. Li Xingke, Kyoshiro Tohdoh, Zero, and the Knight of One. Since Bismark Waldstein had been killed, Gino had been promoted to Knight of One and worked as one of the generals.

In the time since, Kallen had graduated high school alongside Gino and now lived with him as his fiancée. She trusted him more than anybody, after taking her time to open up to a Britannian. In the end, she decided his place of birth didn't matter. He had shown multiple times that he truly treasured her and she wanted to return that feeling.

Her nightmare had shaken her to her core and she wanted nothing more than the comfort of his hands around her. It was terrifying, the image in her mind's eye of Lelouch shooting her. She had felt as if that had happened when he had taken over as Emperor of Britannia, but seeing it, even in a dream, had frightened her more than she'd like to think.

Gino's arms pulled tightly around her, holding her as close to his chest as he could, his voice whispering soothing words to her. The words themselves were lost to her, but his tone was soft and calming. It helped her heart beat at a normal pace again and her breathing settle to a normal rate. Her tears had calmed and she slowly pulled back, reaching up to wipe her eyes but paused as he beat her to it.

His eyes were full of concern as her rubbed his thumb across her cheek to brush away her tears. "What was it?"

She managed a forced smile, grateful to him for being there with her. "He shot me when I was defenseless."

He pulled her to him again, setting his chin on her head and mumbling, "I know how much you hate to be pinned down."

She was at least thankful he'd avoided wording it as 'helpless.' Snuggling against him, she whispered, "Yeah. Everyone was watching, too. It probably doesn't sound that bad, but-"

Shifting slightly, he adjusted their position and pressed his lips to hers to cut her off. Pulling back, he said, "If it woke you up and scared you like that, then it's bad. Nothing more to it than that."

She nodded and snuggled closer. "That's why I love you, Gino."

* * *

><p>Please review!<p>

-Valk


	5. New Feelings

Five Fics in Three Days Challenge #05

…

Title: New Feelings  
>Fandom: Code Geass<br>Characters/Pairings: Gino Weinberg/Kōzuki Kallen  
>Word Count: 1,881<br>Prompt: 27-3 – All New  
>Rating: T<br>Summary: SPOILERS FOR R2! With her life finally settled, Kallen feels content with things the way they are. However, she has a surprise in store for her that she never saw coming.

Written for the Five Fics in Three Days challenge on the 5_Prompts community on LiveJournal.

Disclaimer: Code Geass is property of Bandai Entertainment and CLAMP.

…

Kallen felt the ship shift beneath her and fought back the urge to vomit. She was feeling seasick, but had no reason to be since the ship was an airborne one. Flight had never been a bother for her before, making her wonder if she was getting sick. She was walking down the hall of one of the Black Knights' flagships, the Excalibur, heading back to the room she was sharing with her husband of four years. A trip to China became necessary, so she and Gino packed their bags and boarded the ship for the five-day trip.

It was only day three, but she had gotten sick the day they'd left and it hadn't let up. It was terrible timing. She was supposed to meet with Empress Tianzi when they arrived, but how could she when she was throwing up every single day and unable to keep her food down?

Maybe she would leave this conversation to Gino and the others Knights of the Round.

She managed to find the door to her room and stumbled as the ship rocked slightly. Why in the world was this ship so unsteady? Between Rakshata and Lloyd, they had made airships virtually immune to turbulence. She stumbled again and made a straight shot for the floor, stopping in her descent as two arms wrapped around her.

"Whoa, there. I got you."

She looked up with a weak smile at the face of her husband and muttered, "Why is this flight so damn rough?"

He cast her a look that clearly told her she was imagining things before reiterating, "Kallen, the flight has been as smooth as Tristan's new finish."

She grunted and pulled herself to a proper standing position and asked, "Then why can't I keep my balance?"

With a smile on his face, he pulled her into a hug and enveloped her in his arms tightly. "Because you're drunk?"

She glared at him before pulling out of his hold and moving over to drop down on the bed. "I'm not drunk, Gino, and you know it."

He held his hands up in surrender with that same playful grin in place. "I know, I know. I'm kidding. But seriously, though, are you all right?"

She let herself drop back on the bed and blew her hair out of her face in defeat. "I dunno. I felt sick the day we left."

He suddenly appeared over her from the opposite side of the bed and pressed a quick kiss to her forehead. "Go see the doctor on board. Maybe you just need some antibiotics or something."

…

Kallen sighed and trudged down the hall, fighting back the urge to throw up. She hated doctors, but she knew Gino was right, for once. Sucking up her pride and annoyance—because there was no way she was afraid—she made her way towards the small medical bay on board the Excalibur. She found the right room and walked inside, trying to make herself appear casual.

The room was empty besides a woman in her mid-thirties sitting behind a computer with thick-framed glasses on her nose. She smiled and looked up as Kallen walked in, saying, "Good morning! What can I do for you?"

She crossed her right arm across her stomach and rubbed her opposite elbow awkwardly. She hated doctors, especially Britannian ones. "I'm, uh, not feeling well. I've been sick since we took off."

"Come over here," she said, gesturing towards an examining bed and drawing a curtain around them for privacy. Holding up a tablet and stylus, she asked, "Name and station?"

"Kallen Kōzuki-Weinberg, Knight of Five of the Knights of the Round and pilot of the Guren Tetra."

"Ah, I see. You've quite a mouthful, there."

She raised her eyebrow in an 'I am so not amused' way and crossed her arms. "Can we get this over with?"

The doctor smiled and gave a slight chuckle. "Of course, Ma'am. What brings you in here today?"

She squirmed in her seat slightly before answering, "Nausea and dizziness, mostly. Feels like the ship is hitting every damn patch of turbulence possible."

The brunette woman nodded. "All right. Given that there isn't any turbulence at all, I think you made the right choice in coming here."

"More like my husband made that choice."

"Even if it isn't anything to worry about, it doesn't hurt to have it checked. Now, I want to do a few preliminary things, like check your pulse and blood pressure, all right?"

Kallen did her best to sit still as the doctor did her 'preliminary things.' She felt restless and uncomfortable, making the whole process seem much longer than it actually was. Finally, the doctor stepped back and said, "Well, you're definitely dehydrated. That could be the cause of the dizziness and possibly the nausea, but I have my suspicions on that. Tell me, are you sexually active?"

She felt her face heat up and looked away, mumbling, "Is that your business?"

"If you want me to give you a proper diagnosis, I'll need your cooperation. Rest assured, nothing you say here will ever leave this room."

She glanced at her out of the corner of her eye. "Swear it?"

"There are several laws prohibiting doctors from sharing patient information without their consent. It doesn't set well on my conscience, either, so, yes, I swear it."

"Fine," she mumbled. "Yes, I'm active. I'm married. Don't judge me."

She gave another one of her airy chuckles. "Trust me, no judgment from me. I see people in here who jump at that answer and aren't even in a relationship. Besides, if I were married to someone as handsome as General Weinberg, I'd be taking advantage of it."

She felt her face flush again and she looked away. Kallen never was one for sharing her endeavors in the bedroom. "Why did you need to know that?"

"One more question first. Are you currently on any form of contraceptive?"

She froze and stared, dumbfounded, at the doctor. "Wait, do you think I'm pregnant?"

"You tell me. Is it possible?"

"I…" she started, then let herself trail off. It… It could be. She couldn't remember the exact date, but she missed her dose sometime between a month and two months ago. On top of that, now that she thought about it, her period was late, too. She felt shoulders slump and her jaw drop open slightly, the realization just starting to set in. "You mean… I'm pregnant? As in, I'm having a baby?"

The doctor smiled and said, "I can get you a test to be certain, but it sounds like it is certainly possible."

…

Two hours later, Kallen sat on the bed in hers and Gino's room, staring at the same place on the wall that she'd been focused on for over an hour. Her thoughts had bounced back and forth between taking the test right away, or waiting until Gino got back from his meetings and councils and whatever else he was doing, but she finally built up the nerve and just did it.

As soon as the test had its results, she had stood up, walked to the window, and called Gino. Her senses had been in a state of shock, so all she had told him was to come back to their room for lunch because she had a surprise for him.

Now, her shock was hitting her full force and she sat still, staring numbly at the wall. Gino should be there for lunch soon, she figured. Or, rather, she hoped. It had already felt like eons had passed and still no sign of him.

Finally, the door opened and he walked in with a smirk on his face, saying, "So, what's this 'surprise' I get for lunch?"

She turned slowly to look at him, saying nothing and just blinking. He walked closer to her and set his hands on her shoulders supportively, offering her a slight smile. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Gino…" she managed, then swallowed to moisten her dry throat and shook her head. "Gino, it's… You might want to sit down."

He stayed where he was, standing in front of her with his palms clamped on her shoulders. His eyes burned into hers, giving her a silent cue to continue. Slowly, she nodded and said, "I went to the doctor this morning, like you said, and, well…"

His eyebrow rose, prompting her to continue. "Kallen? What is it? You're okay, right?"

She nodded. "I'm not going to drop dead or anything."

"Okay, good." His posture relaxed slightly, but he still held tightly to her shoulders. "Then what is it?"

She sucked in a deep breath and said, "I told you, you should sit down."

"Kallen, just tell me before I start freaking out."

She closed her eyes, unable to look him in the eye as she blurted, "I'm pregnant."

His eyes widened significantly and he let her go, standing up straight as he took in the information. "You… What?"

She looked him in the eyes this time, saying, "I'm pregnant. We're having a baby."

He blinked for a long moment, saying nothing, before falling face-down to the floor.

…

Kallen sat on the floor, holding Gino's head in her lap, and fought back the rest of her laughter. She was wary of what Gino's reaction would be to finding out she was pregnant, but she never imagined it would be as funny as him fainting. The fact that he had just hit the floor had brought her out of her own shock and made the news that much easier to handle.

Suddenly, she was at peace with the idea of having a baby.

His face scrunched slightly as he started to come to, his eyes opening in a snap almost immediately afterwards. His military instincts kicked in as a result of waking up without willingly going to sleep and he looked around in alarm. Searching the room for the cause of his unconscious state, he realized Kallen was sitting beside him with a humored smile on her face and he let himself relax. He reached up and touched his forehead gently, teasing it for pain. "Kallen, what hap-?" he started, cutting off his own sentence as he remembered.

She watched as he jumped to his feet and glanced at her in shock and surprise. "Kallen-! You- We-"

She climbed to her feet and smiled at him, happy. "Yep. We're having a baby, Gino."

He stared for a long moment as the concept sunk in, before pacing away and running his hand through his hair. Stopping mid-step, he turned back to her and smiled. "I'm going to be a dad! And you're going to be a mom! This is… This is… I don't even know how to describe this, but it's amazing!" His voice got slightly higher with each word, nearly shouting the last word. He moved back to her in two quick steps and placed his hands on either side of her waist, lifting her off her feet and spinning her in a circle. "I'm going to be a daddy!"

She couldn't help but laugh. Seeing his smile and his cheery—albeit hilarious—reaction to the news, she knew deep inside that everything was going to be just fine.

* * *

><p>Please review!<p>

-Valk


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